Shoe lengthening tool



Feb. 12, 1935. J. VENTOLA 1,990,679

SHOE LENGTHENING TOOL Filed Jan, 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

m ATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1935. J. VENTOLA SH OE LENGTHENING TOOL Filed Jan.29, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR;

11% AT'TORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STAR:[s

rA'E T OFFICE f SHOE LENGTHENINGTOOL I James Ventola Kansas di m, I I IApplication January 29:, 119 34, Serial vc. 708,851

' ioiaims. 101. 12 128.15

My invention relates toimprovementsin shoe lengthening tools. II I I I 11 One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel tool withwhich the upper of a shoe may be lengthened, and the upper rear edgeportion of the vamp expanded and pushed forwardly, when desired; i g IV, a I

A further object :of my invention is toprovide a novel toolof the kinddescribed, which is simple, cheap,ystrong, durable, not likely to getout of-order, which is easily. and quickly operated and not liable todamage the shoe operated upon, and which is eflicient in operation. i I

The novel features. of my invention; are here- 15. inafter fullydescribedand claimed. g r I In the accompanying drawings, which illustratemy invention, r V II Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form, of myimproved'tool, shown mounted in operative 'posie tion in a shoe, whichis vertical section; i I I A Fig. 2 is a plan view, partlybroken awayand enlarged, of vthe tool shown in Fig. 1. a II Fig.3 isan enlargedfrontelevation of the heel membershown in. Figsal and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in; plan and partly in horizontal sectionof'the toe member and parts connected therewith, of a modified form ofmy invention. I. I II I: I Fig. 5- is aside elevation of what is shownin Fig. 4;.

. Fig. 6 is air-ear elevation of the toe member shown inFig. 4. V i, V

Fig. 7iis aside elevation,- enlarged, of the vamp engaging: member shownin Fig. 1. I

Fig. 8 is a top view of the same. Fig; 9 is, a front elevation of thesame;

Figslo is a view partly in side elevation an partly in verticallongitudinal sectiomand partly broken away, of another modification ofmy invention; a I V Fig.11 is a plan view, partly broken away, of whatis shown in Fig. 10. I

r Fig. 12 isa rear end view, partly broken away of the toe membershownin Figsclo and 11.

Fig. 13 is a View similar to Fig. 11, but show- 7 ing anothermodification of my invention.

. Fig. 14 isarear end view of the toe member shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a view similar toFig. 4.,showing still another modificationof my-invention. I I I II Fig.'16 is a rear end view of the toe membershown in Fig. 15. r

, Fig. 17 is a vertical sectional view .ofamodifishown in longitudinalcationofthe'heel engaging member and part of the pushingmemben'shown inside elevation.

- Fig.18' is a top View of what is shown in Fig. 17. Similar c'haractersof reference designate sim ilar parts in the different views. a '5.Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, 1 designates a toe member adapted to beinserted into the toe of a shoe 2 and to bear against. and pushforwardly the inner'side of, the toe portion of the shoe u per 3.. "4.designates a heel memberadapted to 10 bear against the. inner side ofthe rear end of the upper '3,. and which is provided near its upper endwith a forwardly andrearwardly extending hole 5,'Fig. 2, which is screwthreaded and which has rotatably fitted in it the screw threaded l5shank 6 of a pushing member. Said shank 6 extends rearwardly through theheel member 4 and at the rear thereof is provided with a transverseoperating handle? by which the shank 6 may be axiallyrotated in the heelmember 4.

' The rear endof the toe member 1 has a central ear S, at opposite sidesof which are respectively disposed twofoi'wardly extending arms 9 of aconnecting member 10; which is pivoted to swing on atransversehorizontal axis by a pin 25 11 extending vtransversely and horizontallythrough the'arms .9 and the ear 8;

The rear end of the connecting member 10 is providedwitha longitudinalhole whichextends clear through the connecting member 10 and has axiallyrotatably mounted therein the reduced front endportion 12of the shank 6.Said front end portion is provided with a rearwardly extending threadedhole in which is fitted a screw s, the head of whichis ,larger'than thehole and engages. the connecting member 10 between the arms 9, thusholding the connecting memberrotatably connected to the shank 6. r

Upon mounting the tool in the shoe, as shown in'Fig. 1, with tlie heelmember 4 bearing against theinner side of the rear part of the upper 3,and with the toe member 1 bearing against the inner sideofthe'toeportion, the rotating of the shank ,6 in the proper direction, bymeans of the handlel will cause the shank to travel forwardly throughthe heel member 4, if the latter is held from turning with the shank,thereby, through hold these members from a turning movement when thescrew shank 6 is axially rotated.

To expand the rear edge portion 14 of the vamp and stretch it forwardly,when desired, I provide a vamp engaging member, shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8and 9.

Said vamp engaging member is provided with a shank 15 adapted to beremovably mounted between the arms 9 and at the rear of the ear 8.At'the upper end of the shank 15 is provided a head 16 adapted to reston the arms 9 and to move therewith, and adapted to have its hookedupper end portion engage the rear edge portion 14 of the vamp, and toforce the latter forwardly when the screw shank 6 is turned so as toadvance the toe member 1 and connecting member 10.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the toe member 17 is simllar to the toe member 1,excepting that it has an ear 18 separable therefrom but attachedthereto, and connected pivotally to the connecting member 10, by a pin11, similarly'to the connection of the ear 8 to the arms 9 in Fig. 1.The member 17 may be of wood, and the ear 18 of metal if it is sodesired.

In the form shown in Figs. 10 to 12, there is provided a toe member 19,of a shape and size adapting it for the shoes on which it is to beoperated, and having a chamber on its under side, as shown. The shank 6,corresponding to the shank 6 already described, has a reduced front endportion 20 extending through and, preferably loosely fitted in a hole 21extending through the rear wall of the toe member 19. The forward end ofthe portion 20 is shouldered and has fitted on it a nut 22 bearingagainst the shoulder and which holds the shank 6 engaged with the toemember 19, while permitting the shank to axially rotate therein and toswing vertically.

The tool shown in Figs. 10 to 12 is operated in a manner similar to thatdescribed with reference to the form shown in Fig. 1.

In the form shown in Figs. 13 and 14, 23 designates a toe member havingattached to its rear end a bearing member 24 in which is axiallyrotatable and vertically oscillative the reduced front end portion 20 ofa threaded shank 6', corresponding to that shown in Figs. 10 and 11, andhaving similarly mounted on its front end shouldered portion a nut 22disposed in a recess 25 in the rear end of the toe member 23. This formof my invention is operated similarly to the form shown in Figs. 10 and11, the shank 6' being extended through a threaded hole in a heel membercorresponding to the heel member 4, and the rear end of the shank 6'having aflixed to it at the rear of the heel member a handle 7, similar.to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modification shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the toe member 26,corresponds to the toe member 1, excepting that, it is provided with twocars 2'7 at its rear end. A connecting member 28 is pivoted on ahorizontal transverse axis to and between the ears 27 by a transversepin 29. The rear end of the connecting member 28 has a longitudinal holeextending forwardly to a squared vertical opening 30 extending throughthe connecting member 28. In said longitudinal hole is axially rotatablyfitted the reduced'front end portion 20 of a threaded shank 6',corresponding to the shank 6' shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 13. A nut 22 ismounted on the shouldered front end portion of the portion 20 in theopening 30. The latter is adapted to receive the shank 15 of the vampengaging member shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8 and 9, and the head 16 of saidmember is adapted to rest removably on the upper side of the connectingmember 28.

When it is desired to stretch the vamp portion 14 without alsostretching the toe portion of the vamp, the head 16 of the vamp engagingmember may be disposed, and have a form such that it will engage andstretch the vamp portion 14 before the toe member engages the toeportion of the vamp, or the toe member may be operated simultaneouslywith the head 16 to eflfeet stretchmg.

In Figs. 17 and 18 is shown a modified form of heel engaging membercomprising a body 31, which may be wood having a rearwardly extendinghole therethrough, 32, into which extends a rearwardly extending tubularportion 33 of a plate 34 fastened to the front side of the body 31.

.The hole through the tubular portion 33 and plate 34 is threaded andhas axially rotatable therein the screw threaded shank 6, correspondingto the shank 6, shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The heel member, comprising theparts 31 and 34, may be substituted for the heel member 4, with the sideof the body 31 opposite the plate 34 employed to bear against the innerside of the rear part of the upper 3, as does the rear side of the heelmember 4, as shown in Fig. 1.

Other modifications of my invention within the scope of the appendedclaims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. A shoe lengthening tool comprising a toe member and a heel membershaped to respectively fit against the inner sides of and to be heldfrom turning by the heel and toe portions of a shoe upper, a pushingmember revoluble in and having threaded engagement with said heelmember, means connecting said toe member with said pushing member bywhich the latter may be axially rotated relatively to and, when rotatedin the proper direction, to push said toe member forwardly, and meansactuated by said pushing member for engaging and forcing forwardly therear edge portion of the vamp of the shoe.

2. A shoe lengthening tool comprising a toe member and a heel membershaped to respectively fit against the inner sides of and to be heldfrom turning by the toe and heel portions of a shoe upper, a pushingmember revoluble in and having threaded engagement with said heelmember, a connecting member pivoted on a horizontal axis to said toomember and with which said pushing member has axial rotary engagement,and a vamp engaging member carried by and movable forwardly with saidconnecting member and adapted to engage and push forwardly the rear edgeportion of the vamp of the shoe.

3. A shoe lengthening tool comprising a toe member and a heel memberadapted to bear respectively against the inner sides of the toe and heelportions of a shoe upper, a pushing member having rotary threadedengagement with said heel member, a connecting member attached to saidtoe member and with which said pushing member has rotary axialengagement, and adapted to be pushed forwardly by said pushing memberwhen the latter is axially rotated in the proper direction in said heelmember, and the latter is held from turning, and a vamp engaging membercarried by and movable forwardly with said connection member and adaptedto engage and push forwardly the rear edge portion of the vamp of theshoe. 1

4.'A shoe lengthening tool comprising a. toe member and a heel memberadapted to respectively bear against the inner, sides of the toe andheel portions of a shoe upperfla pushing member having rotary threadedengagement with said heel member, a connecting member pivoted on ahorizontal axis to said toe member and with 10 which said pushing memberhas axial rotary engagement, and which is adapted to be pushed for-.

member removably mounted upon and. adapted to move forwardly with saidconnecting member, and adapted to engage and push forwardly the rearedge portion of the vamp of the shoe.

7 JAMES VENTOLA.

